ETC 2009

The following featured forums are offered as one-day programs during the Educational Travel Conference:

“The ETC Executive Forum is simply the best management resource for staying on top of the changes and rewards of educational travel. I went for the first year as a result of an invitation. Now, I go every year because I appreciate the open dialogue and the chance I get to hear about the latest travel trends. It truly is ETC for me!” —Jeffrey Johnson, President & CEO, Iowa State University Alumni Association

The Executive Forum is designed specifically for senior executives who oversee travel programs, not for the travel planners who directly manage them. The Executive Forum is all day Friday, February 20, 2009 beginning with Peter Yesawich, Chairman and CEO, Ypartnership, discussing “Using 2009 to Plan Ahead”; and ending in a dialogue exchange with Peter Greenberg, Travel Host of NBC’s Today Show discussing “Challenges and Opportunities Ahead for Travel.” In between, the Forum will look to academics and senior executives to discuss what’s in store for educational group travel with the economy, rising costs, diminishing revenue, marketing and growth, shifting traveler/member expectations, as well as trends and approaches to developing and sustaining successful travel programs. The Forum’s primary goals are: 1) to present Executives with broad scope information on how the educational travel industry works; 2) to expose Executives to knowledgeable, high-level invited guest speakers who can help them better understand the travel industry niche of educational group travel; and 3) aid in the development of candid dialog and networking among Executives. No tour operator or travel planner presentations are scheduled during the formal discussion portions of the Forum. Moderators for the day are two former travel planners of successful travel programs: Duncan Beardsley, retired Travel/Study Director, Stanford University, and Carolyn Sheaff, retired Director, BEAR TREKS Travel Program, California Alumni Association.

Offered for the past three years as a high level Executive collegial exchange, the Forum follows in the footsteps of a longstanding ETC benchmark for exceptional, relevant, timely and interactive programming for those in the nonprofit travel sector. The Executive Forum provides opportunity to network with peers on varied topics pertinent to executives who oversee travel programs, including, but not limited to: Understanding that no two travel programs are alike and each may require different strategies; Upholding travel planner/tour operator partnerships; Preserving our niche market and remaining secure for the future; Programming the right balance between the number of trips and what a membership can sustain; Exchanging ideas for efficient marketing and consumer segmentation. Following the breakfast session “Using 2009 to Plan Ahead” with Peter Yesawich, Forum Executives may opt to attend his ETC 2009 trends keynote “Consumer Travel & Lifestyle Trends” addressing the most pressing trends in travel and what they mean for educational travel programs. The morning discussion block "Navigating Through 2009 and Beyond”, will focus on: What about the Declining Dollar? Escalating Oil Costs and crumbling airline industry? How serious are these problems and how are they impacting your program offerings? Preparing to serve your affinity groups without a near-term financial reward? Is this the time to focus on affinity building and forget revenue generating?

A roundtable luncheon providing valuable Q&A time for the Forum panelists to hear: “What’s on Your Minds?” is facilitated by Amy Kotkin, Director, Smithsonian Journeys. The Executive Forum luncheon is made possible through the sponsoring partner support of GO Next.

The afternoon session "Dealing with Emerging Trends and New Approaches during Lean Times" is led by executive directors of nonprofit institutions: Jeff Johnson, President & CEO, Iowa State University Alumni Association, Barry Adams, President & CEO, Houston Alumni Organization, and two additional executives. This discussion focuses on: Emerging Trends & New Approaches during Lean Times, Getting to the Next Level—What are Affinity Group Travelers Buying and how are they Shopping? Shifting expectations and characteristics of best travelers; Catering to repeat travelers while courting first timers; Alternatives to Europe—Switch to North and Central America, or Stay in the States?

The day concludes with a lively, if not controversial, discussion led by Peter Greenberg, NBC's Today Show Travel Editor and Host. Considered the nation’s preeminent expert of travel and travel-related issues, Greenberg discusses “Challenges and Opportunities Ahead for Travel.”

At the close of this session, executives are invited to join all ETC Conference attendees—travel planners, tour operators, and destination colleagues—for a Reception.

Download the full agenda for the Executive Forum here!

View information about the Executive Forum presenters here! (Coming soon.)

The Alumni Travel Forum gives a voice to alumni-focused topics including diversifying the demographics of alumni travel programs, involving international alumni in travel, expanding faculty-led programs, managing up, plus a roundtable for small-school only exchange.

The Donor Travel Forum delves deeper into a dialogue on donor cultivation using travel as a powerful component to any donor relationship strategy, success stories of what works and why, plus a museum planner session on programming for museum patrons and collectors.

Growing consumer concerns about global sustainable issues and increasing interest in local commerce and communities is shaping a new genre of travel programs. This Intensive delivers a concentrated “how-to” on expanding opportunities for community-based tourism, voluntourism/service-learning and community service connections, reducing environmental impacts, and incorporating socially responsible travel practices.